Trolley-pole controller.



No. 740,272. PATENTED war-12.29, 1903.

' c. HARTER.

TROLLBY POLE CONTROLLER.

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No. 740,272. V PATENTED' SEPT. 29, 1903.

G. HARTER.

TRoLLEy POLE CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1903.,

10 MODEL. I 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented September 29, 1903.

I IT I 'IE ENT "ir s-El CHARLES HARTER, OF SOUTH PASADENA, CALIFORNIATROLLEY-POLE. CONTROLLER.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent- No. 740,272, datedSeptember 29, 1903.

Application filed July 9,1903. erial No. 164,826. (No model-)- To (1%whom it may concern.- A V Beit known that I, CHARLES HARTER,' a c izenof the United States, residing at South Pasadena, in the county of LosAngeles and State of California, have invented a certain new andusefulImprovement in Trolley-Pole Controllers, of which the following isa coinplete specification. My invention relates to a device forcontrolling the position of trolley-poles used to convey an electriccurrent from an overheadtrolley system to the propelling mechanism of anelectric car. 7 w The objects of my invention are to provide atrolley-pole holder and controllerin which compressed air is used forfirmly forcing the trolley against the overhead wire and retain ing itthere and also to provide a cushioning device to prevent the suddenupward jerk of the pole when for some cause or other the trolley becomesdisconnected'with the wire, with a view to preventing the tearing downof the supporting-wires of the trolley-wire and damage to the pole andthe working mechanism of the car.

A further object is to place such a pressure upon the pole that thecontact of the trolley sustained by the pole shall be as perfect aspossible at all times'and yet capable of yield ing when necessary atvarious points on the lines and to safeguard this device with additional mechanism controlled by an aircushion to prevent the too suddenoperation ofthe first-described mechanism.

To the accomplishment of the aforesaid objects my invention consists inthe peculiar and novel construction, arrangement, and combination of thevarious parts hereinafter described and then specificallyclaimed,reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a partofthis specification.

In the drawings,in which similar referencenumerals indicate like partsin the different figures, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improveddevice; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section of the same, and Fig. 3a front ele-. vation looking from the right of Fig. 1.

. In the drawings the dotted horizontal lines indicate the normal top ofthe roof of an electric car whose motive power is electricity, and afurther description of the car is deemed unnecessary in connection withthis device.

base 1.

1 is a base or turn-table resting on the top of the car and having acentral orifice through which projects the lower end of the main body 2of this controller. Immediately above the base or turn-table 1 is ashoulder in the body 2, which rests on the upper face of the Through theopening in the base 1 depends a cylindrical portion of the top 2, whichnicely fits into this opening, and below that is a further dependingportion surrounded bya collar 3, which serves to steady the bodyportion,and below this is a not 4, which is threaded to engage properthreads on the lower projecting end of the body 2, by which means theposition of the body portion 2 with reference to the car is readilydetermined and when so determined it is locked in place by the nut l.

Froinone side of the body 2 projects an in.- tegral cylinder 5, overwhich fits a hollow cylinder 6. This cylinder 6 is at all times capableof sliding longitudinally on the cylinder 5, and the contact between thetwo is made air-tight by packing-rings 7, seated in the cylinder 5.

Surrounding the main portion of the cylinder 6 is a coiled spring 8,located between the body portion 2 and a slidable collar 9 on thecylinder 6. Projecting from each side of the outer end of the cylinder 6are lugs 10, through which pass adjustingscrews 11, whose free ends areadapted to engage the collar 9 and determine the amount of com--pression which is deemed necessary upon the spring 8. Transverselythrough the outer front end of the cylinder 6 extends a horizontal bolt12 for a purpose to be stated. Mounted on top of the body portion 2 aretwo upright brackets 13, and between their upper ends is a horizontalshaft 14, in the central portion of which and tightly mounted thereon isa trolley-pole 15, on the outer end of which is mounted the trolley 16,arranged to run on the under face of thewire 17 Y A Fastened tightly onthe outer ends of the shaft 14 and extended substantially downward at anobtuse angle with the line of the trolley-pole 15 are two arms 18,having projecting outwardly from their lower ends studs 19. Two links 20connect the studs 19 with the outer ends of the transverse shaft 12, sothat any movement of the cylinder 6 on the cylinder 5 will betransmitted to the trolleypole and the mechanism just described.

On the other side of the body 2 and in alinement with the cylinder 5 isa cylindricallybored integral extension 21. Centrally in the opening inthe extension 21 and integral with the body 2 is located a stationarypiston 22, having its main portion considerably smaller in'diameter thanits head or outer end, which is also provided with packingrings 23.Surrounding the piston 22 and slidable in the opening in the extension21 is a hollow cylinder 24, having on its inner end packing-rings 25 toform a tight joint with the interior of the extension in which itslides.

The packingrings 23 are adapted to form tight joints with the interiorof the hollow cylinder 24. On the outer front end of the cylinder 24 isa transverse opening through which extends a shaft 26, similar to theshaft 12 in the other cylinder. The two outer ends of the shaft 26 areconnected by links 27 with the studs 19 on the rocking arms 18.

Centrally through the cylinder 5 and extending into the body 2 and thenupward is acored opening or duct 28, which terminates at the top of thebody portion 2-at one end and is open at the other end into the hollowof the cylinder 6 beyond the end of the cylinder 5.

A somewhat-similar duct or opening 29 extends from the top of the body 2downward through its main portion and out through the piston 22 andopening into the hollow in the cylinder 24 with a branch opening 30,leading into the hollow portion of the extension 21, to be describedlater. Mounted on top of the body portion 2 is a valve-chest 31, havingextending vertically through it openings 32 33, adapted to register andaccurately meet the top of the openings 28 29. Transversely through thisvalve-chest is an opening for a valve-stem 34. The entrance of thisvalve-stem into this valve-chest is closed by a packing-gland 35. Thatportion of the opening for the reception of the valve-stein 34 where itintercepts the opening 33 is enlarged sufficiently to receive a coiledspring 37, whose office is to press against the collar and the end ofthe enlarged opening with a view of normally keeping the collar 36across the opening 33, thereby keeping it closed. While in this positionthe valve-stem 34 terminates before it extends into the opening 32, andhence this opening 32 is normally open. Through the valve-stem, near itsend and within the body of the valve-chest 31, is an offset opening 38of such configuration that when the valve-stein is thrown to the leftthe lower end of this offset opening coincides or registers with. theopening 32 and its upper end will register with an exhaustport 39 in thevalve-chest 31.

On top of the valve-chest 31 is a semicircular hollow chamber 40, havingthe hollow portion adapted to accurately register with the openings 3233. Entering this hollow portion in the chamber 40 is an inlet-pipe 41,which extends horizontally for a short distance and then downwardly (seeFig. 3) and then connects with a cored opening in the body portion 2,and this cored opening extends downwardly and then horizontally and thendownwardly and passes through and out of the central bottom portion ofthe body 2. At the termination of this opening is insert-ed a nipple42,.on the outer end of which is placed a pipe 43, connected with asource of supply of compressed air or similar fluid to be used as amotive power for operating the previously-described mechanism. Thevalve-stem 34 outside of the valve-chest 31 is steadied by beingslidably mounted in a bracket 44, rising from the extension 21. Risingfrom the cylinder 24 is a tappet 45, perforated at the top to inclosethe valve-stem 34 and freely slidable' along its surface. Between thebracket 44 and the tap'pet 45 is an adjustable collar 46, fastened onthe valve-stem by means of a set-screw or any similar or preferredmeans.

The operation of the device is as follows: In starting this device itwill be presumed that the mechanism is in the position shown in all thedrawings, with the trolley pressing against the under side of the Wire17. Air under pressure is then applied through the pipe 43, which passesup through the opening in the body 42 and pipe 41 into the chamber 40and down through the opening 32 into the opening 28 and out into thehollow portion of the cylinder 6, which under the pressure is graduallyforced outward, thus drawing, by means of the links 20, the rocking arms18 toward a vertical position and increasing the pressure of the trolleyon the wire 17. air for pressing the trolley and trolley-pole upward thecoiled spring 8 serves to furnish sufficient force to lightly press thetrolley against the wire, thereby preventing its falling onto thecar-body. If for any reason it happens that the trolley leaves the wire,the tendency of the pole 15 will be to assume a substantially verticalposition due to the Previous to the application of the pressure of airin the cylinder 6; but as the pole rises toward a vertical position thearms 18 draw in the cylinder 24, which moves far enough to cause thetappet 45 to encounter the collar 46 on the valve-stem 34, which thereby presses in the valve-stem 34, overcoming the force of the spring 37,and moves the collar 36 away from the opening 33, which allows the airunder pressure to enterthrough the tube-like openings 29 30 into thehollows of the extension 21 and the cylinder 24, there by affording aneffectual resistance to the inward movement of the cylinder 24 andfurther Vertical movement of the trolley-pole. At the same time that theopening 33 is uncovered by the removal of the collar 36 the ofisetopening 38 registers with the opening 32, and thereby connects it withthe exhaustport 39, which allows the compressed air in the cylinder 6 toescape by means-of the tubelike opening 28, and thus the pressure in thecylinder 6 is reduced to nothing and at the same time afiording anextremely high pressure in the extension 21 and the cylinder 24:.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

1. A trolley-pole controller consisting of oppositely disposed cylindersoperable by means of a compressed fluid, means connecting said cylindersto cause them to move in unison, means whereby said trolley-pole isconnected to the connecting means between said cylinders, and means tocause the movements of said trolley-pole to automatically shunt thecompressed fluid into either cylinder.

2. A controller for trolley-polescomprising two oppositely-disposedcylinders capable of being operated by a fluid under pressure and meansautomatically controlled by the movements of the trolley to shunt saidfluid into either cylinder.

3. A trolley-pole controller consisting of a swiveled body portion,cylinders extending from either side of said body portion capable ofbeing actuated by a compressed fluid, means connecting said cylinderswith each other and with mechanism connected with said trolley-pole, andmeans to cause the movement of the trolley-pole to automatically shunt acompressed fluid into either cylinder.

4. In a trolley-pole controller the combination with a swiveled bodyportion of a stem extending from one side thereof, a cylinder to inclosesaid stem, mechanism connecting said cylinder and trolley-pole, andmeans to conduct a fluid under pressure into said cylinder, saidlast-named means arranged to be controlled by the movements of saidtrolleypole.

5. The combination in a'trolley pole controller of a swiveled bodyportion, a trolleypole pivotally mounted on said body portion, aprojecting stem from said body portion,

. said stem being pierced to permit the transmission therethrough of acompressed fluid,

I a cylinder slidable on said stem, means connecting said cylinder withthe pivot of said trolley-pole and means to admit compressed fluidintosaid cylinder,said last-named means being automatically controlled bythe movements of said trolley-pole.

6. The combination in a trolley-pole controller of a swiveled bodyportion, a stem extending therethrough in one direction, said stem beinghollow to permit the transmission of a compressed fluid therethrough, acylinder to inclose a slide on said stem, means to admit air throughsaid stem into the hollow of said cylinder, a spring inclosing saidcylinder with a normal tendency to force said cylinder away from saidbody portion and means mounted on said cylinder to regulate the tensionof said spring.

7. The combination in a irolley=pole controller of a swiveled bodyportion of a hollow extension projecting from said body-piece, a hollowcylinder adapted to slide therein, means to introduce air into theinterior of the hollow cylinder, and means mounted on said hollowcylinder to control the admission of air to said cylinder.

8. The combination in a trolley-pole con I troller of a swiveled bodyportion, of a hollow extension therefrom, a hollow cylinder slidable insaid extension, a hollow piston integral with said body portion to entersaid hollow cylinder, means to introduce air into said extension andhollow cylinder and means controlled by the movement of said cylinder toadmita fluid into said cylinder and extension.

9. In a trolley-pole controller the combination with a swiveled bodyportion, slidable cylinders projecting from either side thereof capableof being operated by a compressed fluid, openings from said body portionto said cylinders, a valve-chest on said body-piece, a

valve and valve-stem slidable in said valvechest and means operated bythe movements of said cylinders to control the entrance and exhaust ofsaid fluid into either of said cylinders.

10. The combination in a trolley-pole controller of a swiveledbody-piece, a trolley-pole pivotally connected with said body portion,oppositely-disposed cylinders connected with said body portion, saidcylinders being capable of being operated by a compressed fluid, meansto connect said cylinders together and to the pivot of saidtrolley-pole, a valve-chest mounted on said body-piece, a valve andvalve-stem mounted in said valve-chest and means to automatically causethemovement of said trolley-pole to shunt the compressed fluid intoeither of said cylinders.

11. A device of'the class designated com- In presence of- G. W.FISHBURN, A. A; LAWYER.

CHARLES HARTERf

